The Ancient Order of Hibernians

The Oldest and Largest Irish-Catholic Organization in the United States. Established 1836

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U.S. Representatives Urge PM Starmer to Repeal Legacy Act

U.S. Representatives Urge PM Starmer to Repeal Legacy Act

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On July 15, 2024, Congressman Brendan F. Boyle led a bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives in sending a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, congratulating him on his election and urging the repeal of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023. The Representatives emphasized the need for justice for the victims of the Troubles and the importance of upholding the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 has been criticized for undermining the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and denying justice to victims of … [Read more...] about U.S. Representatives Urge PM Starmer to Repeal Legacy Act

Suffolk’s Division 9 Brother Father Henry Delivers Prayer at Suffolk Legislature

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Before the start of every General Meeting at the Suffolk Legislature, one Legislator is chosen to designated individuals in the community to sing the National Anthem and obtain a clergyman to say an opening prayer. For the June 6th General Meeting, Suffolk Division 9 Brother Suffolk County Legislator Chad Lennon chose fellow Division 9 Brother Father Henry Reid to lead the Legislature, and all those present, in a prayer dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Brother Lennon introduced Brother Henry to those present as a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians for over thirty years, former … [Read more...] about Suffolk’s Division 9 Brother Father Henry Delivers Prayer at Suffolk Legislature

Illinois ~ Chicago Division #59 Celebrates Bloomsday

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June 16th is Bloomsday, named after the one of the main characters in James Joyce’s Ulysses.Bloomsday is the day where people get together around the world to celebrate the book. InChicago our Hibernian brothers celebrated with traditional music referenced in Ulysses andreading selective passages. (Hibernians member in picture = Joe McGovern) … [Read more...] about Illinois ~ Chicago Division #59 Celebrates Bloomsday

Catholic Calendar – June 2024

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Catholic Action To All Hibernians: The month of June falls entirely within Ordinary time. Sunday the 2nd is dedicated to the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), a day which should assume more importance in the context of the ongoing Eucharistic revival and imminent National Eucharistic Congress which our bishops are encouraging. MAJOR SAINTS AND FEAST DAYS OF JUNE JUNE 1Justin, MartyrMemorialJUNE 3Charles Lwanga & Companions, MartyrsMemorialJUNE 5Boniface, Bishop and MartyrMemorialJUNE 7The Most Sacred Heart of JesusSolemnityJUNE 8The Immaculate Heart of … [Read more...] about Catholic Calendar – June 2024

Illinois – Chicago Division #59 Supports Those in Need

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John F Kennedy Division #59 came together on April 27th to help St. Vincent DePaul’s food pantry at St. Thomas More. Division #59 regularly donates to local food pantries throughout the south side of Chicago to ensure that families do not have to make choices between medical bills and food. Hibernians in action, giving back to our community. (Hibernians members in picture Left to Right) Joe Kennelly, Joe McGovern, Kevin Gill, Michael O’Connor, Tim Noonan … [Read more...] about Illinois – Chicago Division #59 Supports Those in Need

AOH St. Patrick’s Division 2 Installs New Brothers

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On Sunday, April 28th, AOH St. Patrick’s Division 2 (Suffolk County, Long Island, NY) held a Shamrock Degree. Division President Jim McGrath welcomed 21 new Brothers into the Order. Refreshments were enjoyed by all after the Shamrock Degree. With the newly installed Brothers, this brings the total membership of St. Patrick’s Division 2 to 514. Division 2’s Organizing Team (led by Brothers Kevin Vaughn, Frank Collins, Mark Tynan and John Faust) are planning another Shamrock Degree in the early Autumn of 2024. … [Read more...] about AOH St. Patrick’s Division 2 Installs New Brothers

Empty Promises and More Perfidy: UK Fails to Prosecute Bloody Sunday Perjury

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The recent decision by the Northern Ireland Prosecution Service not to prosecute fifteen former British soldiers and one civilian for perjury concerning their testimony during the Bloody Sunday Inquiry is yet another attack on the universally accepted standards of justice and a continuing denial of the fundamental human rights of the victims and their families. The lies told by these men were not harmless fibs; they slandered the names of innocent victims and their families, they covered up killings which former British Prime Minister David Cameron admitted forty years later were … [Read more...] about Empty Promises and More Perfidy: UK Fails to Prosecute Bloody Sunday Perjury

Forgotten Patriot: The Courageous Story and Legacy of Commodore John Barry

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Did you know that the first flag officer and founder of the United States Navy was an Irishman?  His name was John Barry and Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, said in his eulogy at Barry's graveside, "He was born in Ireland, but America was the object of his devotion and the theater of his usefulness."  Barry was born in Co. Wexford, Ireland in 1745 and grew up with a great love for the sea.  As a young man, he emigrated to the Crown colonies in America and by 1760, he was employed in a shipbuilding firm in Philadelphia.  In 1766, at the age of … [Read more...] about Forgotten Patriot: The Courageous Story and Legacy of Commodore John Barry

Andrew Higgins: The Man Who Built the Boats That Won World War II

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“The Jaws of Death.” A photo by CPHOM Robert F. Sargent, USCG. A Coast Guard-manned LCVP from the USS Samuel Chase disembarks troops of Company E, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division on the morning of June 6, 1944, at Omaha Beach It is an iconic image of WW II, a photo taken on June 6, 1944 showing American soldiers exiting a landing craft coming ashore at Omaha beach. A few months later on October 20th, another photo captured the moment General Douglas MacArthur “returned” to the Philippines, wading ashore from a landing craft. Neither of these historic moments would have been possible … [Read more...] about Andrew Higgins: The Man Who Built the Boats That Won World War II

Space, Service, and Heritage: Michael Collins

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Then Colonel Michael Collins Major General Michael Collins, who as a Colonel was the Command Pilot of Apollo 11, the mission that put a man on the moon, is sadly often overlooked, but it should not be forgotten that the successful return of his crewmates Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin was dependent entirely on his piloting skill in flying the command module and performing a successful docking with the Lunar module. Michael Collins was a second-generation Irish American born into a military family. Collin's father was a career soldier, attaining the rank of Major General, earning two … [Read more...] about Space, Service, and Heritage: Michael Collins

From Priest to Martyr, From Klan Robes to Justice’s Robes

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The 1920s were one of the darkest and least discussed chapters in American history.  During this period, the Ku Klux Klan experienced a resurgence, propelled by various factors, including D. W. Griffith's controversial portrayal of the Klan in "Birth of a Nation" (originally titled "The Klansman"), a complex mix of patriotism and isolationism following World War I, and the adoption of modern marketing techniques.  As a result, the Klan transcended its Southern roots, evolving into a nationwide movement with a staggering membership of six million.  To sustain this growth, the Klan expanded its … [Read more...] about From Priest to Martyr, From Klan Robes to Justice’s Robes

The Childhood Friends Who Earned the Medal of Honor

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In the historically Irish neighborhood of Woodside, Queens, stands a monument to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country in the Vietnam War.  On the monument are inscribed the names of 27 young men from the local Zip Code of  11377,  more than any other postal code in the nation to die in that conflict.   However, the Irish community of Woodside has another unique distinction touching on the Vietnam War, the story of two childhood friends from that community who would both enlist in the Marines and earn our nation’s highest award for valor, with sadly … [Read more...] about The Childhood Friends Who Earned the Medal of Honor

Annie Moore: The Brave Irish Girl Who Took the First Step Though the Golden Door

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The statue of Annie Moore and her brothers at Cobh, Ireland During its period of operation from 1892 till 1954, over 12 million immigrants entered through the immigration station at Ellis Island, a name that was to become synonymous with the “Golden Door” and the “American Dream”. It is estimated that today over forty percent of the United States population can trace their ancestry to an immigrant that entered Ellis Island. On New Year’s Day Morning 1892 on the deck of the steamship Nevada stood three adolescents, Annie Moore and her brothers Phillip and Anthony. They were perhaps … [Read more...] about Annie Moore: The Brave Irish Girl Who Took the First Step Though the Golden Door

Chief Francis O’Neill, a Real Hero and a Reel Hero

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When someone wants to quickly set an atmosphere of "Irishness," whether it is a major motion picture or a local Irish restaurant, they invariably use the same element: music.  Music is an essential element of Celtic life; the harper, piper, and the fiddler hold a place of honor and esteem.  Wherever the Irish have traveled, they have taken their music with them as one of their prize possessions, and the sound of Irish music can be heard in Dublin, Denver, and Durban.  Irish music is a highly personal art form; it is an aural tradition passed on from generation to generation … [Read more...] about Chief Francis O’Neill, a Real Hero and a Reel Hero

Irish American Heritage Month: The Irish Contribution to America’s Independence

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The Irish, both Protestant, and Catholic, were a major part of Washington’s volunteers from foot soldiers to high ranking officers. When increased Crown exploitation drove the colonists to protest, among the loudest were the Irish who had no great love for the Crown, to begin with. And there were many Irish in America’s colonies. Among them were those who fought the English theft of their Irish lands and ended up hunted men; they were followed by those Catholics and Presbyterians who fled persecution by the Church of England. Some were businessmen who had to escape the economic oppression … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Irish Contribution to America’s Independence

The Grand Old Man of Baseball: The Enduring Legacy of Connie Mack

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Baseball is a sport built for superlatives and appellations; with every passing season, another member of the sport seems to be bestowed the title of "the Greatest" or a nickname.  Yet, there is only one "Grand Old Man of Baseball," and there will never be another like Irish American Connie Mack nor anyone as deserving of the title. Connie Mack was born Cornelius McGillicuddy in Brookfield, Massachusetts, on December 22, 1862.  His parents were both Irish immigrants, Michael McGillicuddy from Killarney, while Mary  (nee McKillop) McGillicuddy was from the Catholic section of … [Read more...] about The Grand Old Man of Baseball: The Enduring Legacy of Connie Mack

Bravery Beyond Measure: The Heroic Story of Colonel Patrick O’Rorke

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Patrick Henry O'Rorke was born in County Cavan, Ireland on March 25, 1837. His family emigrated from Ireland when Patrick was but a year old, eventually settling in the “Little Dublin” neighborhood of Rochester, N.Y.  An excellent student, he earned one of two scholarships to the newly formed University of Rochester.  However, his father’s sudden death required young Patrick to take a job as a marble cutter to support his family. Patrick’s talents were too considerable to go unrecognized for long.  He came to the attention of Congressman John Williams, who recommended him for … [Read more...] about Bravery Beyond Measure: The Heroic Story of Colonel Patrick O’Rorke

Dr. Kathyrn Dwyer Sullivan, from the Depths of the Ocean to the Heights of Space

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Dr. Kathyrn Dwyer Sullivan preparing for a Space Walk When we think of explorers, it is common to think of phrases such as "plumbing new depths" or "scaling new heights," but how many individuals can both expressions be used to literally and accurately describe their achievements?  Such an individual is Irish American  Dr. Kathyrn Dwyer Sullivan. Kathyrn Sullivan was born in Paterson, New Jersey, to Donald Paul Sullivan and his wife Barbara (née Kelly).  Sullivan's grandfather had immigrated from Lauragh on the Beara Peninsula in County Kerry.  She chose her middle … [Read more...] about Dr. Kathyrn Dwyer Sullivan, from the Depths of the Ocean to the Heights of Space